Poetry and the debates around poetry became a common feature of every court. These debates had their impact on the attitudes of poets towards their craft, which necessarily led to more conscious and deliberate poetry that con- stantly addresses its references and calls attention to its processes. Moreover, the poet became an authority on poetry, often presiding over discussions of his work and that of others. Knowledge of poetry became a specialized field. Poets and poems were compared, examined, and weighed against each other. The reception of poetry became a specialized skill not everyone could lay claim to. This is what al-Amidi calls al- 'ilm bi al-shi'r 11 (knowledge of poetry, criticism), a science whose experts often included poets.